Time May Change Me
by UnderElectricCandlelight
Summary: Beth and Daryl had been best friends for as long as they could remember. But when Daryl leaves shortly after a tragedy for Beth, she finds her life becoming unrecognisable. Maybe Daryl's return could help them both. AU - high school
1. Chapter 1

**So I felt the itch for a second story. This first part is really just a short taster but I am hoping to update regularly - guess we'll have to see if that happens to not.  
And yes, the title was inspired by David Bowie. Enjoy (hopefully).**

* * *

Sitting in the dingy room of the cheapest motel he could find, Daryl Dixon pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.

The dated wallpaper around him had faded, peeled off in areas and simply worn away in others. The tv was chained to the wall, which would make sense if it actually worked – but who in their right mind would try to steal a broken set with a hole in the screen?

The bathroom was really just the worst he'd seen, and that included the one he had grown up with in that rotten cabin, the one filled with the echoes of pain and broken memories.

But sat amongst all this, on a very questionable bedspread atop an uncomfortable mattress, his head was reeling with thoughts of doubt and resentment; how had he lived through such an abusive childhood, hurt his best friend through his own actions, left said best friend by following his dumbass drug-addled brother to God knows where, only to find he'd made a huge mistake. And all by the age of only 18? It didn't leave him much hope for the rest of his life if he'd fucked up bug time so young.

All these thoughts came to a staggering halt when he laid eyes on the worn photo he had been keeping as his only treasure these past few months. The corner may be slightly torn, a crease going through the shoulder of the petite blonde, but with her blue eyes and loving smiling, her image had kept him held together.

He was going to have her back in his life if he had to wade through hell in the process.

He was going to see Beth Greene again.

X-X-X

She didn't know how long she'd been staring at it. The smiling faces looking back at her from the frame, the glass like a barrier between then, and now.

Then, they were together, the only life she had ever known. She was an everyday teenage girl, with two parents and two annoying siblings. And a best friend.

But now there was really only nobody. That's why she sat huddled on the sofa, engaged in some surreal staring match with the frozen faces on the mantelpiece.

She was aware of the tv no more than a few feet away, but it was meant as more of a distraction, a way of fooling herself that she wasn't alone. Noise to fill the cold, empty house.

To the outsider, Beth Greene had certainly taken some hits. But that had passed. Except she was good at making them think that.

She was always trying to pinpoint when her life had plummeted so bad. When she lost half the people she loved.

It was when he left.

Daryl Dixon.


	2. Chapter 2 - Meetings

**I'm finding myself writing this one a lot easier than my other story (Second Chances) so I might end up uploading chapters for this one a lot quicker. We'll see...**

* * *

**12 months earlier**

She was the only person he'd allow to get this close. No, strike that. He'd reluctantly let Hershel Greene take a look at his injuries countless times, usually resulting in stitches, but that had to be done. It was something he had to put up with. But she was the only person he felt comfortable having so close.

Since they were just four and five years old, Daryl and Beth had been inseparable. They met at school, he the kid in torn clothes and a scowl. She was his opposite in every way – small, even for her age, her blonde hair in pigtails, always a pretty picture in dresses and frilly socks. But it was her smile he noticed first.

Daryl was sitting in his usual spot at lunchtime - under the tree, away from the others. He could feel his stomach rumbling, as usual. He was hoping his mother might remember to buy food today, be sober enough to realise the empty cupboards that were quickly becoming a common occurrence.

"Hi," came a chipper voice, along with a sandwich thrust into his face. As his head snapped up there were two things he noticed – firstly, how had she managed to sneak up on him so easily? And why was she smiling so much, at him?

"You can have it," she continued. Her smile never wavered as she stood there, even when he silently stared at her. "You don't talk much do you? But my mama said that everyone needs friends and I saw you all alone."

She placed the sandwich on his knee and looked back at him. "My name's Beth." And with that she left.

After staring at her retreating form he finally returned his attention to the item of food at hand. Most kids would be concerned with the type of sandwich, wondering if they liked it. But when a kid who hadn't seen decent food in days and knew there probably wouldn't be much when he returned home is given food of any description? He simply dives straight in – food is food.

But you couldn't exactly call them friends until a few days later. After the daily exchange of lunch for scowls, when Daryl couldn't help feeling uneasy at the absence of his companion. He didn't miss her, or look forward to seeing her. At least he wouldn't admit those things. Looking around he felt worry knowing something must have happened to keep her away.

It wasn't long until he found the source of the hold-up – and it's name was Jimmy.

"Give it back! It's not for me," cried Beth. She was reaching for her lunch box as it was held out of her grasp.

"Why should I listen to you, you're just a stupid girl anyways!" Jimmy taunted. Dropping her lunch box he lunged forward to pull her pigtail and push her to the ground.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" yelled Daryl. Seeing Beth pushed about did not sit well with him, even if he would have reluctantly admitted to their friendship at this point. Nevertheless he felt protective of the little blonde. "You don't touch her again, got that?" Daryl practically growled, using his extra height over the other boy to his intimidating advantage.

As Jimmy scurried away Daryl helped Beth back up, unsure how to act now the two of them were alone.

"Thank-you Daryl," she beamed causing him to look away. Seeing her lunchbox on the ground he handed it to her.

"Why'd you say it weren't yours? This is your lunchbox," he asked.

"It is mine," she answered chirpily. "But it has your food in it too. You're my friend."

Not only was she unexplainably bringing him food every day, but she had also gotten hurt trying to get it back for him.

What followed was the first real Daryl Dixon smile for Beth Greene's eyes. One of many to come, reserved only for her.

"…she says everything's going really well," Beth's ramblings cut through his musings.

"Huh?" grunted Daryl. They were sat in the bed of Merle's truck, Beth tucked into his side and her head on his arm.

"I was saying Maggie's doing real good at college," she continued, pulling back to look at him. "She was talking about me visiting her some weekend, see what college life is like. What's with you, you've barely talked all night. Well, even less than usual anyway."

Looking down at her, so small next to his own frame, with her warm smile and inquisitive eyes peering up at him, he felt no need to lie.

"Remember the day we met?" he grunted.

"Just the first of many meals you have had from my mother," she quipped and managing to pull a smirk out of her companion, nudging her out of amusement.

"I was thinking about a while after. When that prick Jimmy picked on you-"

"Tried," interrupted Beth, his head turned to look at her. "He _tried_ to. But you protected me, remember?" her beaming smile started that warm feeling he got when she was around, the one he was both familiar with and confused by.

"Just thinking 'bout how you got hurt cos of me," Daryl continued. Seeing her open her mouth to protest he quickly cut her off. "And before you start saying 'bout how I shouldn't feel bad, or how ya weren't really hurt, I just wanted to say… um, that ah… you know I would always do the same for you, right?"

Beth simply turned her face back to the fields in front of them, snuggling further into his side. He felt his arm instinctively circle her shoulders.

"What, not gonna chatter on like you usually do?" he teased, feeling more than seeing her giggle.

"Nope," she murmured before taking a deep sigh. "Nothing really to add. I think you summed it up pretty well."

**Present Day**

Daryl pulled his bike over to the side of the road, taking a moment to just breathe deeply. He was at least a few miles from the Greene farm, but here in front of him were the fields where Beth and him would spend countless hours. They'd do just this – pull over on the road – and just be.

He knew he'd been a dick, a selfish, hurtful jackass, and so she had every reason to be angry with him. With her temper she'll most likely yell and scream, and probably lash out. Hell, he'd seen enough Greene sibling fights to know this as fact.

But she was worth it. This was something he had to do.

* * *

 **Fairly short chapter but I'm not planning on every one being as short at this. Until next time, thank-you to all the readers, followers, reviewers x**


	3. Chapter 3 - Lack in courage

**I didn't even realise I could write this quickly, although to be fair these chapters are shorter than the ones for my other story. But I got the writing bug over the weekend in hopes it would take my mind off of the fact that I could't go to the first UK Walker Stalker Con in London... it didn't work. I'm so jealous!**

* * *

Driving to school that morning felt like any other day. Beth had already fed the animals, cleaned them out and even cleaned some of the house. She was tired and aching in muscles probably unknown to man, but it seemed that was the norm as of late. But she would never let on to anybody, just simply smile and try her hardest to carry on with her day-to-day routine.

Pulling up towards school she managed to find a space close to the main building, and taking a deep breath she made her way inside, trying all the while to keep her feet from dragging.

Just like every morning she went to her locker, organised her books, sorted out her bag, and just like every morning she headed to class with her head in the clouds.

Morning classes were never really too bad – except double chemistry for obvious reasons – but it was by about 12.30pm that the fatigue would really set in. Every day, like clockwork, including weekends. Which is why by the time she was walking (or more shuffling) back to her classes after lunch Beth was in no right mind to hear the school's latest gossip.

"Yeah, just rolled up to school on that bike today."  
She could hear the gaggle of girls talking near her locker.

"I heard he'd been locked up and that brother of his is still behind bars."

Her mama had always said that listening in on other people's conversations never led to any good, but she couldn't help it as her ears perked up.

"Look, whatever happened I'm just surprised that a _Dixon_ even bothered to come back to school."

Beth made sure they wouldn't see her face as they sauntered past, their chattering still echoing as they went.

She felt like se was starting with a panic attack; wait, what happens in a panic attack? Maybe she was just going to pass out. It felt like all the blood had drained from her head and that's when the feeling of dread really set in deep in the pit of her stomach.

Within seconds she was marching on a mission to the school office to take the coward's way out. Luckily her constant state of exhaustion had worked in her favour for once and after being told how pale and drained she looked, she found herself being signed out as sick and on her way home.

X-X-X

Stepping foot into that school again had been challenging to say the least. But that wasn't at the front of his mind. It was the hammering of his heart and the knots that kept twisting his stomach round that captured his attention. And the particular girl causing it.

"Daryl?"

He turned towards the voice to see the only other girls he felt semi-comfortable with – Beth had only ever been the only girl he'd let his walls down with.

"Dude, I thought it was you!" exclaimed Tar, greeting him in usual fist-bump style. "Wondering if we'd ever see your deserter face round her again."

"Good to see yer still blunt as ever," he grumbled with a smirk.

"But, seriously," Rosita spoke up. "What are you doing here? No one even heard from you since you left and now you just turn back up…"

Daryl genuinely didn't even know how to answer that, but he guessed he probably should have seen it coming.

"Rose, chill," Tara intervened, noting the serious tone this had led to. "Daryl, what happened completely sucked. But you don't got to go into this right now."

"So when did you get back?" asked Rosita, her tone more gentle now.

"Just a couple days ago," he answered and scratched the back of his neck feeling awkward about asking his next words. "Have you seen Beth today? I just, eh, haven't seen her since I got back."

Both girls turned to look at each other.

"Not today," Rosita answered while turning to give him a small smile. "After what happened we kinda stopped seeing her so much."

"Yeah, like she doesn't hang out much any more," Tara chimed in.

"Oh," Daryl was surprised. "Well… if you see her before I do just… tell her I wanna talk."

He turned and left before they could even respond. Not that either one of them knew what else to say to him.

"Beth's said that she's had no contact with him since he left. At all, right?" questioned Tara.

"Yeahhh… what're you getting at?" queried Rosita, obviously confused.

"Well, do you think he knows _everything_? I don't know if he's even heard 'bout what happened after her left."

 ** _Flashback_**

 _She wasn't as bubbly as she usually was, hadn't been since Daryl had left a few weeks back. Her mother's death had hit her hard but her best friend leaving her like that, while the whole family were grieving, had really impacted on how she dealt with it. That's why Tara and Rosita were happy to see her being so close to her old self._

 _The three girls had been spending the day together shopping and gossiping._

 _""I told him if he wanted to spend more time with me then he needed to take me on a real date," Rosita smiled as Tara drove them back to Beth's house._

 _"Yeah, yeah. We all know you've been doing more than talking with him all this time," joked Tara. Beth burst out laughing from the passenger seat earning her a smack on the arm from Rosita. Before long they were all giggling hysterically until she turned the tables on their blonde friend._

 _"Oh, ok," Rosita spoke up. "So, your both focusing on my boy… 'situation'. But what about you huh?"_

 _"What about me?"_

 _"Come on Beth," said Tara. "Everyone knows Jimmy's been crushing on you. If he asked you out would you say yes?"_

 _"No," murmured Beth._

 _"Seriously?" Rosita questioned. She was met with silence._

 _"Is this about, you know who?" Tara asked more seriously._

 _"We know how close you always were, the whole school knows it," Rosita consoled. "And we really don't mean to sound cold. But you can't let his leaving like an asshole stop your life."_

 _"I know," Beth sighed softly. She was looking down in an effort to gather the courage for her next words. ""It's just that, the day before he left, we-"_

 _"Beth look," interrupted Tara. They all looked ahead to see the police cars parked outside the Greene house._

 _None of them spoke as they neared up the drive._

Rosita sighed and gently shook her head, finally seeing where Tara was coming from.

"Come on, we need to get to class."

X-X-X

He'd managed to get through the day without too much hassle, apart from all the whispers and stares that is. None of it bugged him, he'd always been an outcast in this town, and he was currently too focused on his reason for even coming back – Beth. But he hadn't seen her at all and Rosita's words had been niggling at him. "After what happened" she'd said. Did she mean after he left?

She had always been surrounded by people who loved her, a close family, and Rosita and Tara. As they'd gotten older she's babysit for families who would gushingly recommend her, with kids who'd run up to her in the street with giddy stories and questions of when she'd be at their house again. Even some of the boys at school would look twice at her as they walked past. Maybe she hadn't noticed but he definitely had, every single time. Even that prick Jimmy, he'd been talking about asking her out before Daryl had left.

But he guessed it was the Dixon curse, right? No matter how much he'd always try to be nothing like his old man, everything he touched turned to shit. He'd hoped leaving like he had would have been best for everyone, but obviously it wasn't soon enough. Why the hell would someone like Beth – no, not someone _like_. Why would _Beth_ let a piece of redneck trash like him affect her life?

So at the end of the day he decided he just couldn't stay away any longer. Mere minutes after the final bell he was starting his bike and pulling away from school, aiming straight for the Greene farm.

As he neared the turn-off to the farm he could see Hershel's car driving off into the distance.

 _Guess that's one less Greene to deal with_ he thought.

Shawn's truck wasn't outside, only Beth's car, so she was probably alone in the house.

The drive over here had been on autopilot, but now that he was here, sat at the turnoff, Daryl could feel the butterflies and uncertainty. He moved his sweating palms to move the bike forward, but found himself fumbling at the sight of her.

From this far away he couldn't really make out her features closely, but he'd recognise that blonde ponytail anywhere. She came bounding down the porch steps – still in those damn cowboy boots – her hair shining in the sun and arms swinging as she walked.

His attention was completely narrowed in on Beth. So much so that he didn't see the guy coming from the barn until he was right in front of her.

Daryl watched as they talked, her head occasionally nodding along while he talked and waved his hands about in gestures. From here he had no clue what they could be talking about, hell, he couldn't even make out their features.

But never the less there was something about the image that made him falter.

All this time he'd thought that leaving was the best option for the both of them. But now that he was so close he was still so far. If he'd left for her sake then he couldn't help but wonder if his sudden return would be an even bigger fuck-up to her life. Maybe returning had been just a purely selfish act.

He watched them wrap-up their conversation before Beth made her way back up the porch. He took this as his cue to leave and sped away, thinking he would wait and bide his time. Or really just running away like a coward, again.

X-X-X

When she finally made it home Beth wasn't entirely sure what to do with herself. She had been solely focused on avoiding Daryl and now that she had she couldn't figure out what to do next. The thought was there, in the back of her mind, the common sense telling her that she couldn't avoid him forever. But for now she decided to stop fighting her exhaustion.

Climbing the stairs she could hear a muffled noise, that got clearer as she neared her father's bedroom. The snoring was the only thing letting her know he was still breathing and in the house, at least for the time being anyway.

She stood at his door for a few moments as she debated her next move. As she saw it she could either reach for the handle and confront the man on the other side of this door or simply carry on down the hall. Which is what she chose to do as she headed to her room and promptly collapsed head first into her pillow.

It wasn't until a while later that the sounds of doors slamming and an engine starting roused her from her slumber. She looked out of her window and watched as Hershel pulled away from the house without any form of goodbye. Watching his truck amble up the drive she noticed movement from the barn and remembered how her dad had hired a guy to help round the farm.

Wiping the remnants of sleep from her eyes as she went downstairs she figured she should probably go talk to the new guy as seen as she was apparently taking care of things round here recently.

"Hey!" he called to her as she descended the porch. "I'm just finishing up for the day I think."  
"Um, ok," she stuttered as they came face to face. "I don't really know what my dad wants doing round here, he just told me you were here to do odd-jobs and stuff…"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry 'bout it, I just saw him leaving. I'll catch him another time."

He continued to explain what he had been doing in the barn, smiling and chattering away. He seemed nice enough and friendly, which is why she felt a little bad that she wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying. That and the fact she couldn't remember his name.

"-so I'll get going," he finished.

"Ok, I'll see ya then," Beth smiled. They both turned to go their opposite ways, but she couldn't help feeling a heat rising up the back of her neck, a prickle like someone was watching her. Obviously her first instinct was to look back at the guy currently getting in his truck, but he seemed too preoccupied talking to someone on his phone.

Shrugging it off she turned back to the house and barely registered the sound of a motorbike speeding away.

* * *

 **So... I kinda need your help. The new farm-hand/handy man is a planned character BUT it dawned on me exactly who he is (I know I'm not making much sense). Basically I have plans for him and I've figured out his personality, but it occurred to me that this could either be an established character or my oc. So everyone who reviews (hint, hint) will be asked a question to help me make up my mind.**

 **Thanks for reading x**


	4. Chapter 4 - Sightings

**Feels like FOREVER since I posted any chapters on here!**

 **Just a little note: sorry to any Pussycat Doll fans out there. You'll see why...**

* * *

"Here you go sweety."

"Oh, I didn't order this."

"I know," soothed Carol. "It's on me. Looks like you need a sweet pick-me-up."

The older woman sauntered back behind the counter and left Beth once again with her thoughts. And now cake.

She had come into the diner just after midnight and found herself tucked away in a corner booth watching the few people leaving to return to their comfy homes. For the past couple of hours she'd tracked Carol serving the occasional passing traveller stopping by for a quick leg-stretch and a caffeine boost, the buzzed college guy looking for directions, and all those others like the blonde in question with no real reason to be anywhere else right now.

Hershel had started one of his very rare 'home drinking' sessions, as Beth called them, and when he started throwing things around and shouting out for her mother and Shawn, unanswered calls that echoed throughout the house, she just couldn't take it anymore.

So where else could she go but the one and only place in town open at this time of night.

After her semi-breakdown at school yesterday she'd spent an extra day at home today – or was _that_ now technically yesterday? She'd started to lose track of hours and days by this stage – but she just didn't know how much longer she could avoid _him_. Thankfully they hadn't questioned her when she rang the school to say she was ill, no-one would think twice about the word of reliable Hershel's sweet youngest, but she knew she couldn't keep this up forever.

Even in her exhausted state she couldn't shut off her thoughts, as garbled as they were, mixing around in her head with the sound of Carol's shoes on the linoleum and the bell tinkling above the door, but she never lifted her eyes from the contents of her cup.

X-X-X

His first night at the motel hadn't been too bad. Well, at least no worse than being surrounded by décor that had seen better days and a questionable stain on the wall. In all honesty he'd spent more time than he should have making shapes out of it. But the peace was short-lived. Or more completely murdered by his new 'neighbours'. If they weren't arguing and lobbing things across the room at each other, then they were throwing wild parties and playing crappy music. How could anyone listen to Pussycat Dolls non-stop until morning?

He didn't know where he was headed, or if he was even going somewhere past aimlessly riding around the deserted country roads.

Never the less he did eventually pull over at the sight of lights standing out against the darkness of the surrounding offices and shops. It was the first sign of life he'd seen in hours, luckily it was the small diner and not one of the bars known in the past as a place to find Merle. He was getting tired but his sensible option of getting some sleep was out of the question, there was no way he could go back to that room right now. So he might as well rest for a while here.

X-X-X

She heard his voice first. The door had been opening and closing all night so why waste her energy watching it any longer? Beth had no idea he'd come in until she heard that husky voice she hadn't heard in too long.

"Jus' a coffee thanks," said Daryl.

She never looked. She wasn't sure if it was out of pure exhaustion or a pathetic attempt at hiding but she leaned further into the corner of the booth and listened.

Carol poured his coffee, with no chitchat then sauntered back into the kitchen.

Any other human being in her situation would get up out of their seat. What happened next could be anyone's guess; storming out, yelling, confronting that person who betrayed them.

But Beth felt nothing. In the past year she'd bottled up her anger toward Daryl and in the process she'd shut herself off from those around her, especially Tara and Rosita. And here was her chance to finally _do_ something about it all… and she froze.

A few moments after hearing that dreaded voice she felt someone – him – slide into the seat opposite. He was now the closest he'd been to her in a whole year and she still couldn't lift her eyes from the table.

"Beth…" breathed Daryl. His hesitation wasn't so much about trying to get a response but just not knowing what to say. It was just one little word, and it was one word too much for her. The sound of his voice made her heart ache and her stomach flip. After all this time and anger, she still couldn't stop those feelings for him.

Neither said another word.

She thought of so many things she _could_ say to him – not all of them so pleasant or polite – yet her brain just couldn't get her mouth to say _anything_.

They sat in complete silence for a few agonising minutes and in that time the closest Beth could bring herself to looking at Daryl was the odd glance at his hands outstretched on the table. It should have felt uncomfortable and awkward not to exchange a single word but she just felt numb.

He got up and marched straight to the door – God how did Carol put up with that irritating bell? – leaving Beth more confused. He was probably fed up of her silence, how was he supposed to know that she was definitely NOT ignoring him?

With the sudden absence of tension she leaned her head against the wall and felt her eyes drift closed trying to fight the tears. He was the one who fucked up and left her in the dust before her mother's funeral. He was the one _kissed her_ , left their last meeting with smiles and tender goodbyes. He was the one who made the decision to not say a word before he abandoned everything – abandoned her – to leave with his destructive brother to go God-knows where.

So why did she have the agonising need in her chest to throw herself into his arms and never let go?

This revelation was made mere moments before the darkness descended and she succumbed to the exhaustion.

X-X-X

The smell of straw tickled Beth's nose as she came to. She was lying on the cot bed they kept in the barn, occasionally used by the odd farmhand and during Hershel's many years of foaling seasons. The horses were starting to fuss in the other stalls and with the early morning light coming through she saw her jacket and boots on the floor, her phone showing it was just a little after 6am.

As she slowly swung her legs around to sit up, rubbing her eyes and trying to fully wake up, the rumble of an engine echoed its way through the space. She may still be half-asleep but she knew that distant noise, that particular engine, that particular bike owned by a particular Dixon.

X-X-X

 _*Flashback*_

 _He hadn't noticed her at first. But as Carol placed the cup down in front of him he just felt a pull to take in his surroundings. When he saw Beth tucked away in the corner it was the last thing he expected._

 _Daryl debated whether to leave, but without trying to over-think it he slid into the booth opposite her, with no clue what to do next. He barely even managed to say her name. She looked tired, weary even, like she'd lost that spark, gleam, that had always pulled him in, the one that always made her… Beth._

 _When her mom died she could barely sleep, almost every night she was having nightmares. Maggie knew and of course Daryl was there for her when she'd call him in tears in the middle of the night. But Hershel had been oblivious and Shawn had been off in his own little world._

 _It pained him to see her like this. She looked just the same as that dark period, but surely the nightmares should have stopped by now._

 _She must have driven here herself so late at night and he couldn't take her home on his bike with her in this state. Deciding to figure this out he went outside to look for her truck, and while he really intended to be gone a few moments, he did take the opportunity to grab a quick smoke. Or what he intended to be quick, actually turned into something a little longer. He felt the nerves building up and he just grabbed at the opportunity to delay going back inside. The sensation of nicotine coursing through his body gave him a familiar sense of calmness._

 _When he finally mustered up the courage to head back inside he was stopped in his tracks by the sight of her deep asleep in the spot where he left her, now looking so much more serene, the stress previously etched deep into her features now wiped away and coupled with peaceful breathing noises._

 _After managing to carry her outside and placed in the truck without disturbing her rest – with some much appreciated door-holding help from Carol – and loading his bike in the back as quietly as humanly possible, Daryl drove her home, to an empty house._

 _Shawn's car was still in the same spot he'd seen it in a few days ago, but there were no other vehicles or sign of life at the property. Beth didn't have a bag with her and he tried looking in her truck but Daryl couldn't find any keys, so not wanting to wake anyone he settled on getting her comfortable in the barn. Hershel and Annette had let him stay there in the past when he needed to get away from his dad at night._

 _She never stirred throughout any of this and was still fast asleep by the time he rose from where he'd been sat in the corner and brushed the straw away on his way out the next morning._

X-X-X

Daryl must have brought her back home; it was the only thing that made sense. Oh no, did he see her dad last night? There must be a reason he put her in the barn, maybe he'd seen what happened with the house in such a state and wanted nothing to do with it.

She turned to gather her shoes and her jacket – neatly folded next to the cot – but hesitated when she caught sight of the little package lying on top of the pile. Wrapped in cling film was the slice of cake Carol had given her, still fully in tact, and now with a note.

 _Thought you'd want this,_

 _lemon was always your favourite_

– _D x_

He was right. He remembered.

X-X-X

Hershel had left at some point that night, but Beth didn't know when. Luckily the house just needed tidying, he hadn't broken anything on this occasion, but she spent her day worrying about him. Actually it had gotten to the point where not really knowing where he was had become the norm, it was less a case of worrying about her father and more _wondering_ where he was. The _him_ she was really worrying about, of course, was Daryl. Now the anxious knot in her stomach was joined by the fear of what he saw – or _could_ have seen – last night.

Realistically she knew she should speak to him solely because he was back in town, maybe even her life, but first there needed to be some damage control.

The farm hadn't been working to its full capacity over the last few months, which was obviously affecting the money situation currently being worsened by the drinking away of their accounts.

She contacted the farmhand Shane –she only remembered his name after searching her dad's office for his number – and arranged to meet him at a cafe in town, that way she could get some errands done too. Next was to turn the house upside down (even more) to remove any hidden stashes of alcohol; 2 half-drained bottle of Scotch and more than just a couple of empties.

It was all going to plan until her phone rang as she headed to her truck.

"Hello?"

"Hi Beth," the chipper voice responded. "It's Dave."

"Oh, hi," Beth smiled.

"Well, looks like we've got some room here now. Are you still thinking of going ahead?"

She swallowed back the lump she felt growing in the throat. "Mmm… ye-yeah," she stuttered. "Yeah when can I get it to you?"

"Well if it's any easier for you, I can get one of my guys to come collect it. Is this afternoon ok?"

"That's fine. I'll see him soon." She had answered on autopilot, so desperate to get the deal and this conversation over with.

When her mind re-focused it took a few moments to remember why she was even going out to the truck in the first place… Shane!

He seemed ok with her cancelling at such short notice when she called him, but it was quickly put to the back of her mind while she focused on the task at hand.

She couldn't bring herself to go back in the house, not quite yet, so she waited on the porch until she saw T-Dog and Tyreese drive up.

"Hi Beth, long time no see," smiled Tyreese as he met her in a friendly hug. His sister Sasha was always over at the farm when Maggie was still at home, and the two siblings were regularly at parties and BBQ's at the Greene's.

"Well the farm has kept us pretty busy recently," she half-lied while trying to keep her voice up-beat.

"If you're all set here then I'll get going," said T-dog from behind the wheel. "I got a hot date I need to get to." With a cheery smile he drove off and left them to it.

With a little more small talk and promises to catch up with Sasha soon, before long Beth was watching Tyreese getting ready to drive away.

In all honesty she had tried to stretch the conversation as much as possible to delay the dreaded conclusion; watching her brother's treasured car being taken away for good.

She managed to keep up the façade just long enough, only letting the tears fall once the car had become a smaller and smaller dot in the distance.

X-X-X

He wouldn't normally be caught dead in one of those coffee house places. Today was the exception.

After getting so close and yet being so far from Beth last night, he'd hardly slept. While he'd made her comfortable in the cot, Daryl had sat in the corner simply watching over her. By the time he decided to leave in the morning his legs were cold from sitting on the ground and he had a kink in his neck from trying (and failing) to sleep against the wall. But Beth had hardly moved or made a sound through that time. She had obviously needed sleep and he spent most of the time staring at her as if entranced.

The shitty coffee back at the motel just wasn't going to cut it but hopefully one of those extra shot, extra tall, extra overpriced coffees would. The queue had already reached towards the doors when he joined the line. He could feel himself slowly losing the will the live as the indie music quietly flowed over the laughing hipsters and the loud woman arguing on her phone behind him.

Thank God when the guy in front of him stepped aside and he could give his order, finally one step closer to leaving! Waiting for his coffee, obviously a takeout, his gaze wandered over towards the notice board and promptly brought out of his trance by the small, seemingly insignificant flyer.

Daryl strode with purpose over to see why Beth's name was printed up on the wall. There in bold letters it stated that she would be one of the singers performing here one night next week, since when did she sing in public?

"Oh, that's changed."

The voice came from a barista who'd obviously been watching him.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, eh, Beth Greene?" he explained. "We just got a call from her. Said she had to cancel."

Daryl turned his attention back to the paper and grabbed for his coffee when he saw it in his peripheral. He honestly wouldn't be able to point out the mysterious staff member who served it.

"We haven't got round to updating that yet," the young guy continued to waffle on. "But ya know we've still got some great performers lined up next…"

He never got to finish his own little attempt at advertising before Daryl turned and left the worker talking to an empty space.

X-X-X

For the second Saturday in a row Rosita had gone and deserted her for some guy. They'd arranged to meet in town for their regular ritual of filling up on sugary milkshakes before studying at the library. And once again Tara was left in the lurch. She decided she might as well go home and try to work there and if she happened to also work out a plan for payback against her last-minute-absent friend, then so be it.

But her burgeoning plans were swiftly killed when she caught sight of a very unwanted Dixon.

"Oh shit," she muttered to herself. She stopped short on the way to her car when she saw Merle having a smoke outside a bar. "And of course he's day-drinking. Guess nothing's changed."

It made sense she supposed, one Dixon makes a surprise return, the other is sure to follow. People who even bothered to care knew he was the reason Daryl had left in the first place, and those people also knew he in turn had played a major part in Beth's state ever since.

Tara decided that when she did get to her car she'd just have to put her plans on hold and instead take a drive to the Greene farm.

* * *

 **So there it is. I know Tara and Merle are two characters mentioned in the story details, so here is the beginning of how they'll both be playing a bigger part.**

 **And yes, I went back and forth on the idea of whether to have the farmhand as an established character, or really sort of a nobody to be kept in the background. But I finally decided.**

 **Thanks to all who read my attempts at story writing, hopefully I'll be updating my other story _Second Chances_ next xx**


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